Henry VIII and his Six Ghosts | History in the (Re)Making History in the (Re)Making I’m looking for… Search for: Please be aware all commenting has been disabled until I am in a position to moderate them full time again. Thanks :) Top Posts & Pages / Article , Tudor / 7 comments It’s almost Halloween! Therefore break out the ghost stories! Yay! The final episode of ‘The Tudors‘ showed Henry confronted by the ghosts of his first three wives. If legend is to be believed, he shares a haunting ground with Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard. Given that Henry VIII and his six wives are still immensely popular centuries after their deaths, it is hardly surprising that people still claim to have seen them, haunting various palaces and castles. Ghosts are thought to remain in places of importance, especially if a person died in particularly emotional, violent or neglectful circumstances which accounts for most of Henry VIII’s wives. It is something of a coincidence that Anne of Cleves, who lived a relatively peaceful, drama free life (divorce notwithstanding) and who died of natural causes at old age is apparently resting in peace with no ghostly sightings of her ever reported.

Of all the residences, Hampton Court Palace supposedly houses the most restless royals with apparent sightings of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard (not in the same room I might add). Most of the ghosts apparently move around together with Henry and Anne Boleyn appearing at Windsor, while yet another Anne Boleyn stalks a ‘repentant’ Jane Seymour at the latter’s home of Marwell Hall. Catherine of Aragon Catherine’s spirit apparently occupies only the one location, despite her attachment to her husband, even after their separation. Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, died on 7th January 1536 at Kimbolton Castle. She had been living there since 1535, the second home she had been banished to for refusing to grant her husband a divorce. At the time there were rumours that she had been poisoned by Anne Boleyn or Henry VIII or both. While her body was being prepared for burial her heart was found to be discoloured with a black growth upon it (modern experts believe that this was probably cancer). Although she was buried at Peterborough Cathedral, Catherine’s ghost haunts the place of her confinement and death; Kimbolton.

While there, Catherine limited herself largely to one chamber which is where her ghost has supposedly been seen, though it has also been sighted walking along the inner gallery. The castle is also thought to be haunted by the ghost of a child who died after falling from the battlements. Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn is probably one of the most popular of Henry’s queens. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, this is why she has been sighted in so many places. Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, held his interest as his mistress for six years but had just a brief reign as Queen. Henry had her executed on charges of adultery, incest and high treason at the Tower of London. On the morning of 19th May 1536 Anne was beheaded by a French executioner using a sword. Perhaps as the result of the violent manner of her or because it is widely thought she was innocent Anne’s ghost supposedly haunts a number of locations, more than any other Tudor ghost. The Tower of London: A ghostly Anne has been seen wandering in the tower grounds always headless, though occasionally with her head under her arm.

Hever Castle: Anne’s ghost is thought to return to her childhood home, especially around Christmas time, where she wanders the castle and sings melancholy songs. Most commonly she supposedly appears on Christmas Eve crossing the castle’s bridge over the River Eden near to where Henry VIII first courted her. Blickling Hall: Blickling belonged to Anne’s father Thomas Boleyn and may have been Anne’s birthplace. In rather dramatic fashion, a headless Anne apparently arrives at the Hall on the anniversary of her death in a carriage drawn by a headless coachman. Thomas Boleyn is also thought to haunt Blickling. Hampton Court Palace: Wearing a blue dress, Anne has been seen walking within the castle. Marwell Hall: Henry VIII and Jane Seymour spent some time before they were married, yet Anne is thought to appear behind the hall, haunting the Yew Walk. Windsor Castle: Another popular Tudor haunt, Windsor Castle is apparently home to a number of ghosts. Anne haunts the Dean’s Cloister, once again with her head under her arm. Jane Seymour Anne Boleyn has seemingly followed Jane in the afterlife, even to her own home.

The legend says that Jane’s ghost is repentant and will not rest until Anne forgives her. Good luck. Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, managed to finally deliver the male heir that Henry so desired. Unfortunately the labour was a difficult one, lasting three days. Although Jane survived the ordeal long enough to witness her son’s christening three days later, it became increasingly obvious that she was not recovering. She fell seriously ill, probably from an infection contracted during labour and died on 24th October 1537 at Hampton Court. Jane supposedly returns to Hampton Court Palace on the anniversary of her son’s birth – the 12th October. She has been sighted walking in the cobbled grounds and on the stairs near a gallery usually carrying a candle, dressed in white. She also haunts the Seymour house of Marwell Hall though she remains indoors (probably wise if Anne Boleyn is outside). Catherine Howard Many visitors to the gallery reported feeling cold near the spot where Catherine made her plea. Rather anti-climatically the cold air was found to be a draft. Let’s jump to Catherine Howard (Anne of Cleves seems to be quite happy resting in peace with no ghostly sightings of her).

Catherine was married to Henry for less than two years before she was found guilty of adultery with Thomas Culpepper and executed at the Tower of London on 13th February 1542. Shortly before her death Parliament had passed a bill making it treasonable (and therefore punishable by death) for a queen consort to fail to disclose her sexual history to her husband. Until this bill passed Catherine had been awaiting judgement since November of the previous year at Syon Abbey. When the accusations first emerged Catherine was placed under house arrest. Legend has it she managed to escape her guards and instead fled down the ‘Haunted’ Gallery at Hampton Court Palace where she found the king at prayer. Screaming her innocence she became hysterical and repeatedly banged on the doors until she was dragged away, still screaming. Her screams allegedly can still be heard along the gallery in question, and many people have apparently felt overcome by emotion at the spot. Catherine herself has been seen walking across the gallery towards the Royal Pew before being apparently pulled away, moving backwards and screaming. She has been seen to a lesser extent at the Tower of London. Catherine Parr Another of Catherine’s wards, Lady Jane Grey, also met a violent end.

Her ghost allegedly haunts the Tower of London. Catherine Parr, the last of Henry’s wives survived Henry despite a sometimes turbulent marriage. Shortly after his death, against conventions, she married Thomas Seymour. She fell pregnant for the first time, despite three previous marriages, but died shortly after childbirth at her home of Sudely Castle, where she was also buried. There were rumours that her husband had poisoned her so that he could marry Catherine’s stepdaughter the Lady Elizabeth, but this is thought to be unlikely. Catherine apparently roams the grounds of Sudely dressed in a green dress, however a younger Catherine is thought to haunt Snape Castle, the primary home of her second husband. While the Sudely Castle spirit is supposedly quite melancholy, her counterpart at Snape is described as a peaceful, happy ghost dressed in blue which inspires a feeling of calm in those around her. Henry VIII While Henry and his wives are restless, the rest of his family are far more peaceful. Both his parents and brother have no ghosts, neither do his children Edward VI or Mary I. Henry himself died on the 28th January 1547 at Whitehall after a long history of illnesses which left him obese. He was buried in St.

George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle along with his third wife; Jane Seymour. His spirit is supposed to haunt both Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. At Windsor he wanders the castle groaning in pain as a result of the ulcer on his leg, while at Hampton Court his ghost was apparently caught on security tape in 2003. Henry VIII’s daughter Elizabeth I has also been sighted at Windsor wearing black, while her footsteps can be heard crossing the library. Follow us on Twitter @HistoryRemaking Hampton Court Ghost of Henry VIII's Beheaded Wife Snapped in Photo Tweet on Twitter A bus driver named Trevor Tye was visiting the royal palace in England when he unwittingly snapped a photo of Henry VIII’s beheaded wife, the ghost of Catherine Howard. Tye was taking a photo of the marble staircase in the 16th century Hampton Court palace, which was empty, so he wasn’t expecting to see an apparition of a young woman in the image when he returned home. As you can see below, the female figure is standing at the public entrance. When Tye sent a copy of the image to the palace, he was surprised to hear that the security guard has also spotted the female ghost — and on several occasions.

Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, was beheaded at the palace in 1542 for allegedly having an affair with her first cousin Sir Thomas Culpeper. She was dragged screaming through the palace before being imprisoned. After she was beheaded, rumors began to fly about her spirit haunting the palace she once shared with her husband. There have been so many sightings of Catherine Howard’s ghost that one room in Hampton Court has been named the Haunted Gallery. Visitors claim they’ve heard screaming and have seen the female figure in a white gown. “I didn’t even realise I had caught anything unusual until I got home and a friend looked at some of my pictures and said “who is that girl?” Tye said . “I couldn’t believe it as the room was completely empty when I took the picture so I know that there is no way it is someone in the shot. I have had the picture examined by experts and everyone has said the picture has not been tampered with at all, so for me the only explanation is that it is a ghost.” Catherine Howard’s is not the only Hampton Court ghost. Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour is also said to haunt the palace after her death in 1537.

The palace’s website also lists Sibell Penn, the Lady in Grey, and a ‘Skeletor’ figure caught on CCTV in 2003 as ghosts who might haunt the home. Hampton Court’s website states: ‘Hampton Court Palace, with its 500 years of history, has seen many dramatic royal events from the death of Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, to the condemnation and house arrest of his fifth, Catherine Howard, for adultery. SHARE 'Ghost of Henry VIII's wife' caught on camera - can you spot it? - Irish Mirror Online News 'Ghost of Henry VIII's wife' caught on camera - can you spot it? Trevor Tye, 45, swears that nobody has tampered with the photo he took after driving a coach load of tourists to Hampton Court Palace Share Spooky: Coach driver Trevor Tye says this could be the ghost of one of Henry VIII’s wives (Photo: Mercury Press) Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email A coach driver snapped what he believes could be the ghost of one of Henry VIII's wives during a visit to Hampton Court Palace.

Trevor Tye, 45, had driven a coach-load of tourists to the royal palace but ventured in to get pictures himself while he was waiting. It was only after returning home after taking pictures of the beautiful marble staircase in the Palace's public entrance, that he spotted what appears to be the figure of a young woman stood eerily watching down. Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard was imprisoned at Hampton Court in 1541 before she was beheaded at the age of 21 and her ghost has been said to still haunt the palace. Spotted: The picture taken by coach driver Trevor Tye (Photo: Mercury Press) Trevor claims he sent the picture to the palace, who informed him a security guard had spotted the ghost of a young woman or girl in the same spot on more than one occasion.

Trevor, from York, said: "I didn't even realise I had caught anything unusual until I got home and a friend looked at some of my pictures and said, who is that girl?" Snapped: The pictures were taken at Hampton Court Palace (Photo: Mercury Press) "I couldn't believe it as the room was completely empty when I took the picture so I know that there is no way it is someone in the shot," he continued. "I have had the picture examined by experts and everyone has said the picture has not been tampered with at all, so for me the only explanation is that it is a ghost." Trevor, who works for York Pullman Bus Company, has been an avid ghost hunter for more than a decade but says this is the clearest 'proof' he has ever seen. Keen: Trevor has been hunting ghosts for years (Photo: Mercury Press) Trevor said: "It is most definitely one of the best examples of a ghost being caught on camera and I think this is especially true since the security guard was able to confirm that he has seen the same figure too. "I was very careful when taking the picture to ensure no one was in the room - the last thing I wanted was someone ruining my shot.

"Unfortunately the vast majority of ghost pictures you see are faked so I am really pleased to have caught something like this." Video Loading Watch Next (Photo: Getty) One room of Hampton Court has become known as the Haunted Gallery as there have been so many alleged sightings of Catherine Howard. It is said she is usually seen in a white gown, much like the one in Trevor's picture, while Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour is also said to haunt the palace after dying there in 1537. Trevor said: "I don't know who the ghost is, but it is either a young woman or perhaps a girl of maybe 16 or 17. It is hard to make out the age of her clothing but it doesn't look modern. "It looks like she is looking down and reading something on a stand in front of her.

"I am not scared by the picture and would happily go back to Hampton Court, but I doubt I'll capture anything quite like this again." Regal: Hampton Court Palace is in Richmond Upon Thames (Photo: Getty) The palace's website lists both Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour as ghosts who might haunt Hampton Court, along with Sibell Penn, the Lady in Grey, and a 'Skeletor' figure caught on CCTV in 2003. Hampton Court's website states: "Hampton Court Palace, with its 500 years of history, has seen many dramatic royal events from the death of Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, to the condemnation and house arrest of his fifth, Catherine Howard, for adultery. "Over the centuries, staff, visitors, workmen and residents have experienced strange phenomena for which there is often no practical explanation." poll loading 'Ghost of Henry VIII's wife' caught on camera - can you spot it? - Mirror Online News 'Ghost of Henry VIII's wife' caught on camera - can you spot it?

Trevor Tye, 45, swears that nobody has tampered with the photo he took after driving a coach load of tourists to Hampton Court Palace Share Spooky: Coach driver Trevor Tye says this could be the ghost of one of Henry VIII’s wives (Photo: Mercury Press) Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email A coach driver snapped what he believes could be the ghost of one of Henry VIII's wives during a visit to Hampton Court Palace. Trevor Tye, 45, had driven a coach-load of tourists to the royal palace but ventured in to get pictures himself while he was waiting. It was only after returning home after taking pictures of the beautiful marble staircase in the Palace's public entrance, that he spotted what appears to be the figure of a young woman stood eerily watching down. Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard was imprisoned at Hampton Court in 1541 before she was beheaded at the age of 21 and her ghost has been said to still haunt the palace.

Spotted: The picture taken by coach driver Trevor Tye (Photo: Mercury Press) Trevor claims he sent the picture to the palace, who informed him a security guard had spotted the ghost of a young woman or girl in the same spot on more than one occasion. Trevor, from York, said: "I didn't even realise I had caught anything unusual until I got home and a friend looked at some of my pictures and said, who is that girl?" Snapped: The pictures were taken at Hampton Court Palace (Photo: Mercury Press) "I couldn't believe it as the room was completely empty when I took the picture so I know that there is no way it is someone in the shot," he continued. "I have had the picture examined by experts and everyone has said the picture has not been tampered with at all, so for me the only explanation is that it is a ghost." Trevor, who works for York Pullman Bus Company, has been an avid ghost hunter for more than a decade but says this is the clearest 'proof' he has ever seen.

Keen: Trevor has been hunting ghosts for years (Photo: Mercury Press) Trevor said: "It is most definitely one of the best examples of a ghost being caught on camera and I think this is especially true since the security guard was able to confirm that he has seen the same figure too. "I was very careful when taking the picture to ensure no one was in the room - the last thing I wanted was someone ruining my shot. "Unfortunately the vast majority of ghost pictures you see are faked so I am really pleased to have caught something like this." Video Loading Watch Next (Photo: Getty) One room of Hampton Court has become known as the Haunted Gallery as there have been so many alleged sightings of Catherine Howard. 'Ghost child' caught on camera by teens at Christmas dinner - or is it? It is said she is usually seen in a white gown, much like the one in Trevor's picture, while Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour is also said to haunt the palace after dying there in 1537. Trevor said: "I don't know who the ghost is, but it is either a young woman or perhaps a girl of maybe 16 or 17.

It is hard to make out the age of her clothing but it doesn't look modern. "It looks like she is looking down and reading something on a stand in front of her. "I am not scared by the picture and would happily go back to Hampton Court, but I doubt I'll capture anything quite like this again." Regal: Hampton Court Palace is in Richmond Upon Thames (Photo: Getty) The palace's website lists both Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour as ghosts who might haunt Hampton Court, along with Sibell Penn, the Lady in Grey, and a 'Skeletor' figure caught on CCTV in 2003. Hampton Court's website states: "Hampton Court Palace, with its 500 years of history, has seen many dramatic royal events from the death of Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, to the condemnation and house arrest of his fifth, Catherine Howard, for adultery. "Over the centuries, staff, visitors, workmen and residents have experienced strange phenomena for which there is often no practical explanation." poll loading Hampton Court Palace - Haunted Mansions Around the World Hampton Court Palace in Greater London is a magnificent Tudor building built by Cardinal Wolsey in the sixteenth century.

It has become world famous for not only being the home of Charles I and II, Elizabeth I and Henry VIII, but also for its ghosts, which have been seen frequently in the interior of the palace and in the surrounding grounds. Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife, died at the palace twelve days after giving birth to her son, who later became Edward VI of England. She is often seen along Clock Court or in the Silver Stick Gallery, wearing a white robe and carrying a candle. The ghost of Lady Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, is believed to walk what is now known as the Haunted Gallery. This haunting is thought by many to be a re-enactment of an actual historical event. Catherine Howard married an elderly Henry in 1540, despite the fact that she had not even reached her twentieth birthday. The queen was accused of having affairs with younger men, which was classed as high treason, and was sentenced to death for her crime. When the queen heard news of the sentence, she ran through the corridors of Hampton Court to her husband's chapel where he was attending mass, screaming and pleading for her life to be spared.

The king chose to ignore her pleas, and she was beheaded at the Tower of London in February, 1542. Her ghostly screams are heard by some visitors to the palace, and some have seen a shadowy figure run through the Haunted Gallery. There is a ghost of a 'Gray Lady' at Hampton Court who is thought to be Mrs. Sibell Penn, nurse to Henry VIII's children. She died of smallpox in 1562, but her spirit rested in peace until the remains of her body were removed from St. Mary's Church, Hampton, after the church was storm damaged in 1892. Residents at Hampton Court began to hear voices and the whirring sound of a spinning wheel. A wall was removed close to where the noise had been reported, revealing a sealed chamber containing a spinning wheel. It is thought that the wheel belonged to Mrs. Penn. The ghost continued to be seen despite this, and her apparition has been spotted by many separate witnesses. Also amongst the strange occurrences at the Court are ghostly cavaliers, pageboys and children dressed in Tudor costume.

The Ghosts and Hauntings of Hampton Court Palace | Writedge Home > Supernatural > The Ghosts and Hauntings of Hampton Court Palace The Ghosts and Hauntings of Hampton Court Palace Pin It Three of Henry VIII’s six wives are said to haunt Hampton Court Palace, along with many other ghosts. With a wealth of supernatural phenomena, Hampton Court Palace is generally regarded as one of the most haunted buildings in Europe. Reports of strange and unexplained occurrences at this enormous Tudor palace date back centuries, and some of the phantoms have even been captured on film. Standing on the north bank of the River Thames in the county of Surrey, Hampton Court Palace was built for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1515 as a luxurious residence as well as a means to show off his prosperity. The cardinal later fell out of favour with the reigning monarch, Henry VIII, and relinquished his magnificent palace to the king in order to appease him. Henry subsequently made Hampton Court his official London residence, although Wolsey’s ghost is said to still haunt his old home. The long-dead cardinal was apparently spotted in 1966, standing under an archway.

After the death of Henry VIII, Hampton Court remained popular with successive monarchs, and also Oliver Cromwell, who used the palace as a weekend retreat during his reign as Lord Protector. In the late 17th century, William III embarked on an extensive redevelopment project at the palace, employing the renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren, who designed Fountain Court on the building’s south front. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who built Hampton Court in 1515, is one of the palace’s famous ghosts. The ‘Lady in Grey’ is one of the many famous phantoms said to haunt Hampton Court, and she has been sighted by a wide variety of witnesses. A family by the name of Ponsonby, who had rooms at the palace in the mid-1800s, slowly became aware of odd noises emanating from behind their walls. They could hear what sounded like a spinning-wheel, accompanied by the voice of an elderly woman muttering to herself. The sounds grew more continuous, and after an investigation, a sealed chamber was uncovered. When the family opened up the chamber they found, amongst other paraphernalia, an old 16th century spinning-wheel.

Soon after these discoveries, a number of sentries at the palace started to report witnessing an elderly woman in a long grey robe and hood. So who exactly is this mysterious Grey Lady? Well she is generally believed to be the spirit of Dame Sybil Penn. In life she had been the foster-mother of Edward VI, and had been granted rooms at Hampton Court where she lived until her death from smallpox in 1562. She was buried at nearby St Mary’s Church. One notable witness who bumped into Dame Sybil’s ghost was Princess Frederica of Hanover, who lived at the palace in the late 19th century, and her description of the spectre matches those given by the sentries. Much more recently, a schoolgirl snapped a photo of her cousin while they visited the palace earlier this year. The photo showed a tall grey figure, thought by some to be the ghost of none other than Dame Sybil Penn. Lady Hildyard, a resident at Hampton Court in the mid-1800s, complained that she was troubled by two invisible spirits. However the hauntings ceased when workmen unearthed a couple of bodies under the cloister at Fountain Court.

Lady Hildyard believed they were the remains of Cavaliers killed during the Civil War. Another bizarre incident befell a policeman at the palace in February 1907. He was standing guard at the main gates when he caught sight of a small party of men and women in evening dress slowly ambling towards him. They were coming along Ditton Walk, and as they drew near, he could hear the sounds of the ladies silks rustling in the gentle night breeze. However when the policeman went to admit them, he came over very faint as the whole group suddenly dissolved into thin air. Jane Seymour died at the palace in 1537, soon after giving birth to the future Edward VI. Anne Boleyn was the ill-starred second wife of Henry VIII. After she was unable to provide the king with his much sought-after male heir, he had her beheaded at the Tower of London on a number of trumped up charges. Her ghost was sighted by several servants in the late 1800s.

She was described as wearing a blue dress and doleful expression (although her head appeared intact!) Besides Hampton Court, Anne’s ghost is said to still visit a number of locations, including her childhood home of Hever Castle, and also the Tower. Unlike Anne Boleyn, Henry’s third wife Jane Seymour was actually able to provide the tempestuous monarch with a legitimate male heir, with the future Edward VI being born at the palace in 1537. Unfortunately Jane passed away from postnatal complications, and her ghost is said to haunt the place of her untimely demise. A woman in a long white dress who carries a lighted candle, has occasionally been witnessed gliding along Silver Stick Gallery and around Clock Court. She is thought by some to be the spirit of the long-dead queen. Catherine Howard was Anne Boleyn’s first cousin and still a teenager when she married Henry VIII in 1540. Blessed with beautiful looks but little in the way of brains, Queen Catherine soon tired of the aging corpulent king, instead preferring the company of Thomas Culpeper, an attractive young courtier much closer to her age.

It wasn’t long however before gossips started to spread malicious rumours about the two of them, and when it was discovered that Catherine had already had pre-marital relations with a man called Francis Dereham, her fate was sealed. Catherine Howard was executed in 1542, and it’s said her ghost still walks Hampton Court’s ‘Haunted Gallery’. As soon as Henry caught wind of his fifth wife’s alleged infidelity he had her confined at quarters in Hampton Court; Culpeper and Dereham were executed. Legend relates how Catherine once managed to break free from her confines and, aware that the king was at the palace’s chapel, ran down an adjoining gallery to beseech him. He however ignored her frantic entreaties and she was soon dragged back by guards, shrieking for her life. She was subsequently taken to the Tower and on 13 February 1542, her head was divorced from her body. The area where Catherine made her desperate bid for mercy is now known as the Haunted Gallery. In the 19th century it was closed up for many years although residents at the palace in those days would report all manner of weird phenomena emanating from that part of the building.

Two women, a Mrs Cavendish Boyle and a Lady Eastlake, both reported being suddenly awoken in the dead of night by an ear-splitting scream. A Miss Goodrich-Freer, who was a member of the Society for Psychical Research, describes coming face to face with a female apparition which visited her in the small hours of the morning when she was sleeping within the vicinity of the Haunted Gallery. Also when the gallery was finally opened up, an artist noticed a ghostly disembodied hand which manifested on a tapestry he was sketching. The hand was feminine in appearance and wore a large bejewelled ring. The artist made a sketch of it and later discovered that Catherine Howard had worn a ring similar to what he had witnessed on the hand. In 2003 a security camera at the palace recorded some very odd footage which, when publicised a couple of months later, caused an international sensation. The film shows a pair of fire doors flinging open and a tall and sinister figure, clad in a long flowing robe, emerging from them. It is difficult to tell the gender of the figure as it’s only there momentarily before stepping back behind the doors.

The figure has been nicknamed Skeletor, after the villain in the He-Man cartoons, and the jury’s still out as to whether the footage is an elaborate hoax or genuine evidence of paranormal activity. “West Entrance to Hampton Court Palace” by Richard Rogerson Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – “Portrait of Thomas Wolsey” by an unknown artist Public Domain Image – via Wikimedia Commons – “Jane Seymour, Queen of England” by Hans Holbein the Younger Public Domain Image – via Wikimedia Commons – “Portrait of a Lady, perhaps Katherine Howard” by Hans Holbein the Younger Public Domain Image – via Wikimedia Commons – Share with your friends Haunted Hampton Court Palace - Ghost Stories & Historic Legends | Historic Royal Palaces Ghost stories and legends from Hampton Court Palace Ghosts at Hampton Court Palace Catherine Howard Catherine is believed to frequent Hampton Court’s Haunted Gallery where she was dragged back screaming to her rooms while under house arrest, accused of committing adultery by her husband King Henry VIII. Catherine's ghost is known as the Screaming Lady .

Sybil Penn Sightings of Dame Sybil Penn, servant to four Tudor monarchs, began around 1829 when the church at nearby Hampton was rebuilt and her impressive tomb moved. Sybil's ghost is known as the Grey Lady of Hampton Court Palace. Skeletor ‘Skeletor’ is the name that was given to a ghostly figure who appeared on a CCTV camera at Hampton Court Palace in October 2003. Examine the CCTV still and judge for yourself. Downloadable Resources Some files are provided in PDF format - you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. The Shadowlands: Famous Hauntings The Haunting of Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace was once the home of the kings and queens of England. Just a few examples would be Charles the I, Elizabeth the I and, the most famous, Henry the VIII. (Of course one must include his six wives as well.) The Palace has had many owners, and the owners have found themselves with many unusual tenants sharing the Palace with them. As it turns out they were sharing their home with the specters of the past. At one point in time even King Henry, himself, had reported seeing ghosts walking the halls of his home.

(No doubt due to large amount of people that he had put to death. Thomas Wolsey, (later titled Cardinal Wolsey), built the Palace itself, as a summer home during the reign of Henry the VIII. The mansion did not become a palace until after Henry VII took over ownership and began to add onto the original building. The mansion became Henry’s home when Wolsey mistakenly told Henry, that anything he owned belonged to Henry. Apparently Thomas Wolsey was not expecting Henry to take him up on his sentiment, but the king assumed that Wolsey had made a gift of Hampton House. The actual building of Hampton Court Palace began in 1514, and was almost completed in 1925. The King eventually promoted Sir Thomas Wolsey to the station of Cardinal. For a while all was fine between the two men. Unfortunately for Wolsey, he was unable to obtain a legal divorce for Henry from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, because of this he was charged with treason and stripped of all his possessions. Thomas Wolsey died penniless in 1530, before Henry could take the once prominent Cardinal Wolsey to trial and execute him.

Many Kings and Queens have inhabited Hampton Court Palace, starting with Henry the VIII, Edward the VI, Elizabeth I and continuing on through to George III. Just as the Kings and Queens filled this palace so do it’s ghosts. The specters of the past reliving their history. Many of the ghosts seen at Hampton Court are thought to be those of Henry, his wives and others connected to him. One explanation of the haunting is related to the fact that Henry focused all of his love, hate, rage and fears on the great halls of the palace and the people surrounding it. As mentioned in the first paragraph, Henry experienced some haunting of his own. He reported seeing Herne the Hunter, of local legend, however, some historians believe that he spoke of this specter to convince himself and others that his conniving actions were understood by those of the other world and that Herne should be seen as the protector of the king. Henry was also haunted by a few of the clergy that he had killed during his violent reformation of the church. He also claimed to be the first person to see the beheaded ghost of his second wife, Anne Bolelyn. King Henry, however, is not the only person to be haunted in the palace.

Other residents and visitors have reported seeing shades and haunts while in the palace. The most persistent sightings are those of Anne Bolelyn and Jane Seymour. In descriptions of sightings related to Anne Bolelyn one finds accounts of her both with and without her head. There have even been accounts of sightings where Anne is carrying her own head. Those who have seen Anne Boleyn in the palace describe her as walking slowly, looking bitter, but at the same time mortified by her unfair fate. Also many of the people who have seen her apparition describe feeling her age-old anger, grief, dread and fear of dying and being forgotten. The other most popular sighting at the palace is that of Lady Jane Seymour, and her story is quite sad. She was the third wife of Henry the VIII. They were betrothed within 24 hours of the beheading of Queen Anne. Unlike previous queens she did not have a formal coronation. In 1537 Jane became pregnant with her first and only child by the king. In early October the only son the Henry would ever have was born. Unfortunately his mother, Jane Seymour, died on October 24th, from complications of his birth.

Her ghost has been seen roam in the Clock Court and in the Silver Stick Gallery wearing a white robe and carrying a lit candle, perhaps she is searching for her son. An interesting note to this story is that Jane Seymour was the only Queen to be buried with Henry in his burial vault. Another of Henry’s wives is also said to be seen in the palace. This would the King’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Catherine is not really believed to be a ghost, but rather more of a psychic impression. A psychic impression is a reenactment of a particularly traumatic event, described as an echo in time. In Catherine’s case this would be her reaction to hearing the news of her sentence of death by beheading, for committing acts of high treason against the king. (In other words having affairs with younger men and getting caught.) Catherine has been reported seen running through the gallery and corridors, apparently she is still pleading and screaming for her life to be spared. Kings, Queens and Clergy are not the only ones to be seen walking the palace halls, there are others who visit those remaining in the corporeal world.

There is the story of the Grey Lady; this woman is believed to be Sybil Penn, the nurse of Henry’s children, died of Small Pox in 1632. She has been seen wandering the halls of this palace, and often felt or seen watching over the children residing there. She has been described by those who have witnessed her countenance as a smiling personage, and completely inoffensive. Apparently her spirit was quiet until the removal of her remains from St Mary’s Church, which had been badly damaged during a storm in 1892. Suddenly her voice was heard in the hallways and once again those residing in the palace could hear the whirring of her spinning wheel. When Mrs. Penn first began haunting the palace, the owners where dumbfounded by the source of the sound of the spinning wheel. Upon further investigation a secret room was found sealed off behind one of the corridor walls, and in this room they found what is believed to be Mrs. Penn’s spinning wheel.

One thing that I found odd about this story was that in all the accounts that I have read no one mentions why the room was sealed off, nor did anyone question why the spinning wheel was there, nor was there any mention of any other objects occupying the room. Other specters inhabiting the palace that deserve honorable mention are two soldiers who had haunted the main courtyard. At some point of the English Civil War, a small skirmish was fought at the castle and unfortunately a good amount of the troops were injured or killed. The two soldiers in the courtyard are believed to have been part of that skirmish. During some of the repairs and renovations on the castle two skeletons were found in the courtyard. The remains of the unknown men were removed from the courtyard and given a proper burial. There have been no further reports of the soldiers in the courtyard since then. Hopefully these two men have finally found their peace. Another ghost reported in the palace is that of a young boy dressed in 17th century garb. The brother of the owner of the castle saw him at that time, and a friend. The child appeared before the men in broad daylight during a garden party.

He pushed past the gentlemen standing on the stairs, who quickly followed him only to find the child nowhere in sight by the time they had reached the top of the stairs. The gentlemen described the child’s behavior as that of a person who lived in the palace and was used to being in charge. I also found a brief mention of a tourist who had seen a young woman in what the tourist had described as, old fashioned dress, walking along with the crowds touring the palace. The tourist did not think much of this young woman until she noticed her walk through a young soldier on crutches. The young woman apparently passed through the young man without his even noticing. Upon reporting what she had seen to the constable stationed on the grounds, she was told that many other tourists had reported this specter over the years. By Cat@theshadowlands.net The Ghost of Anne Boleyn - The Anne Boleyn Files The Ghost of Anne Boleyn Posted By Claire on March 19, 2010 Thanks to Anne Boleyn Files visitor Nancy Smith for writing this great article on the ghost (or ghosts!) of Anne Boleyn – I love a good ghost story!

“With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm and Other Tales of the Ghostly Anne Boleyn” If legends are true, Anne Boleyn’s ghost must be the most traveled ghost in Britain – if not in the whole world! In researching Anne’s afterlife, I have found at least seven locations where her spirit is said to walk: Hever Castle, her childhood home Blickling Hall, her alleged birthplace The Tower of London, where she was executed Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle, where Anne and Henry resided during their marriage Salle Church in Norfolk, where Anne’s body was allegedly moved after her original burial in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London and secretly buried under a black slab near the tombs of her Boleyn ancestors Marwell Hall in Hampshire, a residence of the Seymours between 1530-1638. Marwell Hall - photo by davidhc on flickr Salle Church and Marwell Hall I’ll start with the stories about which I could find the least information.

I was unable to find any specific ghost stories relating to Salle Church, and the only story I could find about Marwell Hall is that she haunts YewTree Walk, where Henry VIII and Jane Seymour are rumored to have strolled while planning their wedding. Legend has it that Henry and Jane were at Marwell Hall while Anne was in the Tower awaiting execution, and that Henry had arranged for a chain of beacons to let him know that the execution had taken place. It has also been rumored that Henry first married Jane at Marwell Hall on May 19 (the day of Anne’s execution!) before their official wedding on May 30, 1536. Hampton Court Palace - photo by Paudie Kennelly Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle Anne also haunts two of the most famous royal residences in southern England – Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle. At Hampton Court she is seen wearing a blue dress. She has been described as walking slowly, with a sad countenance. One wonders if she ever encounters her successor, Jane Seymour, who died at Hampton Court on October 24, 1537, 12 days after giving birth to Prince Edward.

Jane has been seen in the Clock Court and in the Silver Stick Gallery, wearing a white robe and holding a lit candle. Anne might also encounter the spectre of her first cousin, Henry’s fifth wife, Queen Katherine Howard, as she meanders the halls of Hampton Court. Following her arrest , Katherine allegedly broke free from her guards and ran towards the door of the Chapel, where Henry was at prayer, in hopes that if she could appeal to him in person, Henry would pardon her. Henry ignored her pleas, and Katherine was dragged struggling and screaming back to her rooms. The corridor through which she ran is now called the Haunted Gallery, and Katherine’s ghost can still be seen and heard running down the corridor, still pleading for mercy. Windsor Castle At Windsor Castle, Anne’s ghost has been seen standing at a window in the Dean’s Cloister. If stories are true, the hauntings at Windsor Castle may be a (dysfunctional) family affair. Henry also allegedly haunts Windsor, and one wonders what they might say to each other if they were ever to meet.

Castle guests have heard Henry’s footsteps echo along the corridors of the castle, and have heard him moaning and groaning as he attempts to pull his ulcerated leg along behind him. Henry’s and Anne’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, has been seen by several members of the royal family haunting the Royal Library. Sounds of her high heels are heard on the bare floorboards before her figure appears and passes through the library and into an inner room. She has also been seen standing at a window in the Dean’s Cloister, wearing a black dress with a black lace shaw draped over her shoulders. Since Anne has also been seen in the Dean’s Cloister, perhaps mother and daughter have been able to forge the relationship that they were denied in life in the afterlife. One certainly hopes so. Now I’ll tell the stories that relate to the places that had the greatest effect on Anne during her lifetime, either because of the happy times she enjoyed there, or because of the traumatic associations she has with them. Blickling Hall To start at the beginning, Blickling Hall in Norfolk is the place where many modern historians believe to be Anne’s birthplace.

The present building, built in the early 17th century, for Sir Henry Hobart, stands on the site of a previous building that belonged to Anne’s father, Sir Thomas Boleyn. On May 19, the anniversary of her death, Anne is said to return to Blickling Hall. A carriage comes up the drive leading to the hall, drawn by six headless horses and driven by a headless coachman. Anne sits inside, dressed in white and holding her severed head in her lap. When the carriage reaches the front doors, the horses and carriage disappear and Anne goes inside to roam the halls until daybreak. Blickling Hall Also on May 19 her brother, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, is seen being dragged across the countryside by four headless horses. His headless ghost has also been seen wandering the grounds of the estate, searching for peace and justice. Blickling Hall is also said to be haunted by their father, Sir Thomas Boleyn. Some say he is the driver of the coach that delivers Anne to Blickling Hall on the anniversary of her execution.

After dropping Anne off at the front doors at midnight, Sir Thomas continues on, pursued by hoards of screaming demons cursing him for his betrayal of his family. He is forced to drive his spectral coach over 12 bridges that lie between Wroxham and Blickling for 1,000 years as penance. Hever Castle Hever Castle Hever Castle, Anne’s childhood home, came to be in 1272, when Sir Stephen de Penchester was granted permission from Edward I to convert his house at Hever into a castle. The Boleyns purchased the castle in the early 16th century, rebuilding much of the castle and erecting a comfortable Tudor residence within its walls. Henry VIII was rumored to have courted Anne beneath the great oak, which is still standing. The hauntings at Hever Castle are not nearly as macabre as those at Blickling Hall. Anne loved Hever, so perhaps she returns there for peace, and to contemplate the happiness that she once knew there. Every Christmas Eve she has been seen crossing the bridge over the River Eden in the castle grounds. She has also been seen standing beneath the great oak, under which Henry wooed her.

The Tower of London The final, and by far most active of the places that Anne allegedly haunts is the Tower of London, the place of her execution. If ghosts are, as some believe, surviving emotional memories typical of one who has died violently, traumatically and tragically, as Anne did, then it is very understandable that some essence of her remains at the Tower. The main fortress of the Tower, known as the White Tower, was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 and added onto by subsequent monarchs, so the Tower was already over 450 years old when Anne became queen. Since the Tower was a place of imprisonment and death for most of its existence, as well as a royal residence, it is said to be the most haunted building in London, if not the whole of England.

Anne Boleyn’s ghost has been seen in several places around the Tower grounds – in the White Tower, the Queen’s House, where she allegedly stayed the night before he coronation and also during her imprisonment prior to her execution (Claire’s excellent article about Anne and the Tower proves that this is a fallacy – see Anne Boleyn and the Tower of London ); Tower Green, site of the scaffold; and the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, where she was buried under the floor of the chancel in an arrow case. The White Tower In 1817 a sentry patrolling the White Tower suffered a fatal heart attack after encountering a ghostly Anne Boleyn on a staircase. In 1864 a sentry standing guard outside of the Queen’s House reported seeing the white figure of a woman veiled in mist. She was wearing Tudor dress and a French hood; however, where her face should have been there was nothing. He challenged the figure and when it did not reply and continued towards him, the sentry made a thrust at it with his bayonet.

What happened next caused him to swoon – his bayonet passed through the figure, and a firey flash ran up his rifle and gave him a shock. The sentry was court-martialed for falling asleep during his watch. He was found not guilty when several eyewitnesses told the court that they had also seen the headless woman on Tower Green that night. One officer who saw the event from a window in the Bloody Tower testified that he had heard the sentry yelling at the figure to stop, and then saw him thrusting his bayonet through it. He saw the figure pass through the bayonet and then through the sentry as well. By far the most spectacular haunting by Anne in the Tower takes place in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, where she is buried. In the late 19th century, a Captain of the Guard noticed a light burning in the locked chapel late at night. Upon finding a ladder and placing it against one of the chapel windows, he was shocked at the scene taking place in the otherwise “empty” chapel.

It can best be described by an excerpt from Ghostly Visitors by “Spectre Stricken”, London 1882: “Slowly down the aisle moved a stately procession of Knights and Ladies, attired in ancient costumes; and in front walked an elegant female whose face was averted from him, but whose figure greatly resembled the one he had seen in reputed portraits of Anne Boleyn. After having repeatedly paced the chapel, the entire procession together with the light disappeared.” Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula - Photo by Paudie Kennelly by Nancy Smith Thanks for a wonderful article, Nancy! With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm Nancy’s article title “With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm” refers to a song about Anne Boleyn’s ghost, written by R P Weston and Bert Lee in 1934 and performed by Stanley Holloway. Here are the lyrics:- In the Tower of London, large as life, The ghost of Ann Boleyn walks, they declare. Poor Ann Boleyn was once King Henry’s wife – Until he made the headsman bob her hair! Ah yes! he did her wrong long years ago And she comes up at night to tell him so.

[With her head tucked underneath her arm She walks the Bloody Tower! With her head tucked underneath her arm At the midnight hour…] She comes to haunt King Henry, She means giving him what for, Gadzooks, she’s going to tell him off for having spilt her gore, And just in case the headsman wants to give her an encore She has her head tucked underneath her arm! [Chorus] Along the draughty corridors for miles and miles she goes, She often catches cold, poor thing, it’s cold there when it blows, And it’s awfully awkward for the Queen to have to blow her nose With her head tucked underneath her arm! Sometimes gay King Henry gives a spread For all his gals and pals – a ghostly crew.

The headsman carves the joint and cuts the bread, Then in comes Ann Boleyn to queer the do; She holds her head up with a wild ‘Wahoop!”, And Henry cries ‘Don’t drop it in the soup!’ [Chorus] The sentries think that it’s a football that she carries in, And when they’ve had a few they shout ‘Is Ars’nal going to win?’ They think it’s Alec James, instead of poor old Ann Boleyn With her head tucked underneath her arm! [Chorus] One night she caught King Henry, he was in the canteen bar, Said he ‘Are you Jane Seymour, Ann Boleyn or Cath’rine Parr? For how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are With your head tucked underneath your arm!’

Question: Which of Henry VIII's wives is said to haunt Hampton Court?
Answer: CATHERINE HOWARD